Sang Siah House of Dualities

Idea projektu

The project is rooted in the cultural duality of Shiraz and its historic Sang Siah district, where centuries of heritage coexist with the realities of contemporary urban life. Responding to the tension between tradition and modernity, the design explores how historic spatial principles such as courtyards, passages, and layered living can be reinterpreted for today’s Shirazi lifestyle. By framing duality as both a conceptual anchor and a design driver, the project seeks to create a residential environment that honors historical identity while addressing modern patterns of leisure, interaction, and everyday living.

Popis projektu

Set within the narrow alleyways of Sang Siah, the project adopts a respectful exterior presence, remaining compressed toward the historic passages in response to the neighborhood’s urban fabric. A single vaulted entrance marks the transition from the restrained outer shell to a more open interior. Inside, the design embraces the 50×50 balance of living and leisure spaces, where courtyards of varied scales provide light, ventilation, greenery, and opportunities for social interaction. Spatial contrasts solid and void, light and shadow, inside and outside shape a sequence of experiences that reinterpret traditional Shirazi living patterns in a contemporary form. Through this layered spatial narrative, the project negotiates between past and present, creating a habitation model that remains both rooted and forward-looking.

Technické informace

The building massing responds directly to the constraints of the historic context through a compact exterior envelope aligned with the surrounding alleys. A solid façade supports structural continuity, while an internal system of courtyards generates natural light, cross-ventilation, and spatial hierarchy. The program is organized around the 50×50 principle, integrating residential units with semi-open and open leisure spaces. Construction strategies emphasize controlled solid-void distribution, vaulted elements reflective of local typologies, and a circulation network that mediates between compressed exterior edges and expansive interior zones. This technical framework ensures environmental performance, contextual harmony, and adaptability to contemporary residential needs.